Conservatives Promise To Limit Citizenship Revocation

According to Defence Minister Jason Kenney, the Conservative Party only considers certain reasons for stripping individuals of Canadian citizenship including “violent acts of disloyalty to Canada,” which includes terrorism, high treason and acts of war.

During a recent campaign event in Dartmouth, N.S., Kenney, a Conservative candidate in the Oct. 19 election, ruled out any move to revoke the citizenship of serious criminals such as mass murderers or child predators, insisting the practice would be limited to “convicted terrorists and traitors” who have turned on Canada. No other legal or statutory grounds for citizenship revocation are under consideration, he said.

But Conservative Leader Stephen Harper appeared to favour expanding the grounds for revoking citizenship of dual nationals who commit other serious crimes during a recent interview.

However, Kenney said the measure is specifically for those who want to cause mass harm to their own country and citizens. He also answered questions about the government’s hard line on banning the niqab at citizenship ceremonies and the resulting backlash. Kenney denied the niqab debate is fanning the flames of hostility toward Muslims. The variation in future policy between the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister provides an indication of how the law can be extended by modification in the future.

For this and other reasons, our courts must pronounce on the issue of whether or not the new law, creating two classes of citizenship is within the legal competency of our federal government.